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Tips to be followed before and after your blood donation

Diet before donating Blood:

Eat iron rich foods for two weeks before your appointment, for example, whole grains, spinach, rice flakes, watermelon etc.

Include foods which are rich in Vitamin C- having good levels of vitamin C will help to increase iron absorption. So consume more citrus fruits and juices, amla etc.

Drink plenty of water and Fruit juices in the night and morning before you donate. Drink at least eight glasses of liquids in the morning of donation. Avoid carbonated drinks in favour of plain water or juices

Avoid fatty foods for twenty –four hours before you donate blood. Fatty foods can affect the tests which will be done on your blood. Because of the excess fat in your blood, your donation can’t be tested for infectious diseases and the blood will not be used for transfusion.

Eat a healthy meal before your donation. Eating will keep your blood sugar levels stable, helping you to feel better after you have donated.

Diet after donating Blood:

Drinking plenty of liquids is very important just after giving blood, which begins to replace the fluid you just lost. You need to continue drinking plenty of fluids for the next 24 to 48 hours. It will help prevent low blood pressure.

Eat foods rich in Folic Acid: Your body uses Folate, also known as B-9, folic acid or folacin, to manufacture new red blood cells. This helps to replace blood cells lost during donation. Foods that contain folate include liver, dried beans, asparagus and green, leafy vegetables like spinach, orange juice fortified breads.

Eat foods rich in Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin): Riboflavin or vitamin B-2 is another vitamin necessary to produce red blood cells. Riboflavin helps your body turn carbohydrates into energy for the body. Since giving blood can make you feel weakened, this energy can benefit you. Foods containing riboflavin are similar to those that have iron and folate and include eggs, peas, nuts, leafy green vegetables, broccoli, asparagus and vitamin-fortified cereals. Dairy products like milk and yogurt also are good sources of riboflavin.

Eat foods rich in Vitamin B-6: Foods with vitamin B-6 have a number of benefits after you give blood. Your body needs the vitamin to build healthy blood cells and it helps the body break down proteins. Because proteins contain many of the nutrients you need after giving blood, eating vitamin B-6 foods can be helpful. Examples of vitamin B-6 foods include potatoes, bananas, seeds, nuts, red meat, fish, eggs and spinach.